Whitechapel, Carnifex, Rings Of Saturn, Entheos, So This Is Suffering, Bloodbather

Whitechapel

“The theme of ‘Mark of the Blade‘ is a celebration of Whitechapel being together for ten years and the fans that support us no matter what,” states vocalist Phil Bozeman, and after just one exposure to the record’s 11 riveting tracks, a more fitting tribute is unimaginable. Pushing their sound forward with each successive release, the sextet have never allowed anyone outside of their ranks to dictate or influence the music they write. Mark of the Blade sees them remain true to their roots while making their most dramatic progression to date, the emphasis falling more on groove than blastbeat-driven death metal violence, as well as venturing into previously unexplored territory, both sonically and lyrically. “It’s the most dynamic record we’ve done, in the sense that one song can be very aggressive while the next one will be softer and sentimental,” guitarist Alex Wade asserts. “I think it’s great that we have opened up our sound to just write and play whatever we think sounds good. If it’s soft and has clean singing who cares as long as it’s a good song? I would rather do that than be closed-minded and stick to only the ‘extreme’ side of metal.“

With five genre-redefining albums to their name, the Knoxville, Tennessee natives have carved themselves a unique niche in contemporary metal, and in doing so have spoken to legions of fans. Making their presence known with 2007′s The Somatic Defilement, their profile has steadily grown, and 2014′s Our Endless War saw them crack the top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 for the first time. Their reputation for maintaining their integrity is well-earned, and going into their sixth full-length this commitment is stronger than ever. “I honestly don’t think that we ever have to prove anything to anyone, we do this because we enjoy it, and if people want to listen and support us, that’s just a bonus,” says Bozeman. “With this record we knew what we didn’t want to do. We wanted to get away from the faster stuff, because we’re burned out on that 260bpm blastbeat thing. We’ve done that. Ultimately none of us agree with genre pigeon-holing, and we’re not afraid to write what we want to write, no matter what anyone else thinks.” While the band had clear ideas for elements they wanted to explore, they did not allow this to dictate the record, which developed more naturally, focusing on what was best for the individual songs, refusing to accept anything less than the absolute best they could possibly do. “Nothing was set in concrete when we started writing, and we did not force anything,” Wade states. “For example, the idea of including some clean singing was brought up before any songs were written, but it was never really like ‘okay, we’re doing this’ until the songs that we planned to have that on were complete and Phil could say ‘so I’m clean singing on these, right?’. At that moment it felt exciting that we were exploring musical territory that we hadn’t before, and that we were confident in doing so.” In realizing the album, the band – rounded out by guitarists Ben Savage and Zach Householder, bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Ben Harclerode – reunited with producer Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, Cannibal Corpse). “When it comes to recording we have the ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ mentality, and he really does find ways to make us sound better with each record. From ‘Whitechapel‘ (2012) to ‘Our Endless War‘, there really was a large step forward in terms of the production and tones, and I feel that is also the case with the progression from ‘Our Endless War‘ to ‘Mark of the Blade‘. This is the biggest we have ever sounded on a record, and it’s great to see his growth as a producer matched with our growth as musicians.“

Kicking off with “The Void”, which taps into a Slayer-style aggressive thrash vibe that is perfectly suited to the band’s three-guitar attack, the songs that follow all leave a distinct impression, and by the time the rich, dark melodies of the epic “Decennium” bring things to a close, it’s impossible to deny the emotional weight brought to bear. However, equally inescapable is the fact that the majority of said emotion is profoundly positive, leaving a lasting sense of hope and community, and it is this that inspired the album’s title. “It always blows our minds when we see fans get our Tennessee saw-blade symbol tattooed on them, and we are grateful to those diehard fans who show such dedication to what we do,” states Wade. “When we were thinking of possible titles, Phil suggested ‘Mark Of The Blade’, and the theme being the fans and how they would bear the mark for us. I feel it also stands for the figurative ‘mark’ that we attempt to leave with this record.” While this theme is strong, Bozeman typically tackles a broad range of issues, always laying himself bare and speaking from the heart. “It was time to show that we are human and also want to be happy, and that metal doesn’t have to be ‘blah, blah, blah I hate the world’ all the time. ‘The Void’ is about our music being a black hole that people can escape into, which can alleviate their problems, while the title track is about me taking a chance and committing to the band rather than staying home in a dead end job, at the same time helping me to move on from the past and look toward a better future.” On “Elitist Ones” Bozeman vents his frustrations at metal fans who believe their taste superior to that of others, as well as learning to move past hate, and he also touches on far more emotionally fragile territory, with “Bring Me Home”. “My father passed when I was ten years old, and it’s me reflecting on those first ten years of my life. It’s a very depressing and sad song but it’s also a part of me grieving in a way I never did, because I was too young to comprehend what was even going on.” However, it is aforementioned closer “Decennium” that most fully embodies the love that they have for their fans, and determinedly finishes things on an optimistic note. “That song is really going to give people hope and a positive attitude instead of being pissed off at the world all the time. Don’t get me wrong, the world definitely pisses me off and people piss me off, but in life there’s always positive things to look forward to, and people would rather be happy than sad, more often than not.“

With Mark of the Blade under their collective belt, the band is truly stepping into a new and exciting phase of their career. Having redefined who they are and what they are capable of, their place in the modern metal landscape has only solidified – and while they remain typically confident they are equally humble. “This record plainly states ‘this is who we are’,” Wade asserts. “We know we have fans that depend on us just as we depend on them, and this record displays that deep connection. In the end, that’s what it’s all about.”

Whitechapel

“The theme of ‘Mark of the Blade‘ is a celebration of Whitechapel being together for ten years and the fans that support us no matter what,” states vocalist Phil Bozeman, and after just one exposure to the record’s 11 riveting tracks, a more fitting tribute is unimaginable. Pushing their sound forward with each successive release, the sextet have never allowed anyone outside of their ranks to dictate or influence the music they write. Mark of the Blade sees them remain true to their roots while making their most dramatic progression to date, the emphasis falling more on groove than blastbeat-driven death metal violence, as well as venturing into previously unexplored territory, both sonically and lyrically. “It’s the most dynamic record we’ve done, in the sense that one song can be very aggressive while the next one will be softer and sentimental,” guitarist Alex Wade asserts. “I think it’s great that we have opened up our sound to just write and play whatever we think sounds good. If it’s soft and has clean singing who cares as long as it’s a good song? I would rather do that than be closed-minded and stick to only the ‘extreme’ side of metal.“

With five genre-redefining albums to their name, the Knoxville, Tennessee natives have carved themselves a unique niche in contemporary metal, and in doing so have spoken to legions of fans. Making their presence known with 2007′s The Somatic Defilement, their profile has steadily grown, and 2014′s Our Endless War saw them crack the top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 for the first time. Their reputation for maintaining their integrity is well-earned, and going into their sixth full-length this commitment is stronger than ever. “I honestly don’t think that we ever have to prove anything to anyone, we do this because we enjoy it, and if people want to listen and support us, that’s just a bonus,” says Bozeman. “With this record we knew what we didn’t want to do. We wanted to get away from the faster stuff, because we’re burned out on that 260bpm blastbeat thing. We’ve done that. Ultimately none of us agree with genre pigeon-holing, and we’re not afraid to write what we want to write, no matter what anyone else thinks.” While the band had clear ideas for elements they wanted to explore, they did not allow this to dictate the record, which developed more naturally, focusing on what was best for the individual songs, refusing to accept anything less than the absolute best they could possibly do. “Nothing was set in concrete when we started writing, and we did not force anything,” Wade states. “For example, the idea of including some clean singing was brought up before any songs were written, but it was never really like ‘okay, we’re doing this’ until the songs that we planned to have that on were complete and Phil could say ‘so I’m clean singing on these, right?’. At that moment it felt exciting that we were exploring musical territory that we hadn’t before, and that we were confident in doing so.” In realizing the album, the band – rounded out by guitarists Ben Savage and Zach Householder, bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Ben Harclerode – reunited with producer Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, Cannibal Corpse). “When it comes to recording we have the ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ mentality, and he really does find ways to make us sound better with each record. From ‘Whitechapel‘ (2012) to ‘Our Endless War‘, there really was a large step forward in terms of the production and tones, and I feel that is also the case with the progression from ‘Our Endless War‘ to ‘Mark of the Blade‘. This is the biggest we have ever sounded on a record, and it’s great to see his growth as a producer matched with our growth as musicians.“

Kicking off with “The Void”, which taps into a Slayer-style aggressive thrash vibe that is perfectly suited to the band’s three-guitar attack, the songs that follow all leave a distinct impression, and by the time the rich, dark melodies of the epic “Decennium” bring things to a close, it’s impossible to deny the emotional weight brought to bear. However, equally inescapable is the fact that the majority of said emotion is profoundly positive, leaving a lasting sense of hope and community, and it is this that inspired the album’s title. “It always blows our minds when we see fans get our Tennessee saw-blade symbol tattooed on them, and we are grateful to those diehard fans who show such dedication to what we do,” states Wade. “When we were thinking of possible titles, Phil suggested ‘Mark Of The Blade’, and the theme being the fans and how they would bear the mark for us. I feel it also stands for the figurative ‘mark’ that we attempt to leave with this record.” While this theme is strong, Bozeman typically tackles a broad range of issues, always laying himself bare and speaking from the heart. “It was time to show that we are human and also want to be happy, and that metal doesn’t have to be ‘blah, blah, blah I hate the world’ all the time. ‘The Void’ is about our music being a black hole that people can escape into, which can alleviate their problems, while the title track is about me taking a chance and committing to the band rather than staying home in a dead end job, at the same time helping me to move on from the past and look toward a better future.” On “Elitist Ones” Bozeman vents his frustrations at metal fans who believe their taste superior to that of others, as well as learning to move past hate, and he also touches on far more emotionally fragile territory, with “Bring Me Home”. “My father passed when I was ten years old, and it’s me reflecting on those first ten years of my life. It’s a very depressing and sad song but it’s also a part of me grieving in a way I never did, because I was too young to comprehend what was even going on.” However, it is aforementioned closer “Decennium” that most fully embodies the love that they have for their fans, and determinedly finishes things on an optimistic note. “That song is really going to give people hope and a positive attitude instead of being pissed off at the world all the time. Don’t get me wrong, the world definitely pisses me off and people piss me off, but in life there’s always positive things to look forward to, and people would rather be happy than sad, more often than not.“

With Mark of the Blade under their collective belt, the band is truly stepping into a new and exciting phase of their career. Having redefined who they are and what they are capable of, their place in the modern metal landscape has only solidified – and while they remain typically confident they are equally humble. “This record plainly states ‘this is who we are’,” Wade asserts. “We know we have fans that depend on us just as we depend on them, and this record displays that deep connection. In the end, that’s what it’s all about.”

Carnifex

For more than 25 years, Death Metal has been the most maniacal and vicious form of rock. Covering the obscene and praising the perverse, extreme Death Metal still reigns as the driving force that continues to devour all other forms of hard rock. As each year passes in this brutal movement, it becomes increasingly difficult to find suitable leaders to carry the torch and continue to entice and surprise an audience that certainly isn’t shocked or impressed by much. That search has ended. Allow us to introduce CARNIFEX. Derived from the Old English word for executioner, their moniker could not be more appropriate. It’s a word that reeks of death and destruction from the Dark Ages to describe a fiercely morbid death metal band. It’s hard to imagine that San Diego – known for its white sand beaches, endless sunny days and astronomical real estate- is also home to the brutal beat down that is CARNIFEX.

In 2005, vocalist Scott Lewis had a chance meeting with like-minded, gifted drummer Shawn Cameron. Having both played in a countless number of bands over the years that just didn’t seem to fit, the connection between the two was felt instantly. Together, they began a search to fill the musical void that had existed in each of their lives. They quickly formed a group and hit the road. CARNIFEX, being the serious-minded musicians that they are, hit the road hard. Refusing to be another “here today, gone tomorrow” trend, CARNIFEX let nothing stop them from perfecting their live show, touring relentlessly, and writing brainsick, yet intelligent, songs. Having endured everything from tour cancellations, van breakdowns and inevitable line-up changes, that “magical fit” was solidified by the end of 2007. Scott and Shawn were complemented by the intensity of guitarist Cory Arford. Bassist Fred Calderon rounded out the furious unstoppable juggernaut.

The non-stop touring and methodical songwriting eventually resulted in CARNIFEX selling over 15,000 copies of their first full-length album, Dead in My Arms, with little publicity. Not surprisingly, industry types started to notice; however, none as quickly as Victory Records. Having spent a lot of time writing during the previous year, CARNIFEX was primed to get into the studio to begin the masterpiece that is The Diseased and the Poisoned. Zeuss (UNEARTH, SHADOWS FALL, HATEBREED) at Planet Z Studios was a natural choice for producer, and they entered the studio rapidly and intently.

CARNIFEX is something musically unique. What really makes CARNIFEX stand out from the throngs of other hard rock acts currently scouring the planet are their savage live performances. Their declaration to make every night an experience for fans rather than just a show has proven to be the most appreciated trait of the band among fans. But you can keep your pyrotechnics and other special effects at home CARNIFEX relies solely on the power of their music. “Every night, we strive to play extremely tight. Sometimes it can be difficult to make such an intense show so interactive, but we make sure that
everyone is getting involved,” says Lewis.

In 2008, CARNIFEX proudly delivered the The Diseased and the Poisoned to the metal masses. Intriguing and armed to the teeth with an arsenal of blast beats, machine gun riffs and vocals exorcised from the deepest pits of hell, The Diseased and the Poisoned is the soundtrack to your worst nightmare. Having sold 28,000 copies in the U.S. alone, this record was a huge success, solidifying their spot in the American Death Metal realm.

In 2010, CARNIFEX released Hell Chose Me, taking a darker and more blasphemous approach to their already visceral sound. Musical growth and a higher level of aggression coupled with themes of despair and isolation make for an abrasive new record. Blood curdling screams, guttural growls, bottom heavy baselines, and razorsharp guitar riffs make for dark and brutal work.

After a short hiatus, CARNIFEX is back stronger than ever and with a new home. “Signing with Nuclear Blast is a career defining moment for CARNIFEX,” states Lewis. “To be aligned with the largest metal label on earth is a true honor. This world-wide deal signals a turning point for us as a band and individuals. Together with Nuclear Blast you will see CARNIFEX like you have never seen us before. Prepare yourself for an album that crushes any and all expectations. An album that will stand as the definitive mark for modern metal.”

Die Without Hope marks the long awaited return of the band, with their fifth full-length album and Nuclear Blast debut. 10 tracks and over 35 minutes of crushing metal that no fan of heavy music can deny. Recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, FL and produced by the esteemed Mark Lewis (ARSIS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, DEICIDE, SIX FEET UNDER), San Diego's finest metal export deliver an album that stands as a definitive cornerstone for modern death metal. Since their formation, CARNIFEX has proven time and time again that their die-hard fan base combined with their DIY work ethic is unmatched; Die Without Hope is no exception.

CARNIFEX’s relentless touring schedule begins with an extensive 5 week headlining tour February 21st though March 29th. Taking the band through all of North America. Followed by a direct support slot to
a major band in April, which includes an appearance at the 2014 New England Metal and Hardcore
Festival.

Rings Of Saturn

Formed in 2009 as a studio project, California based RINGS OF SATURN is the brainchild of Lucas Mann. The band self-released their first full-length album entitled »Embryonic Anomaly« in late 2009 and was re-released internationally on May 28, 2010.

Since then, RINGS OF SATURN have been hard at work touring nationally throughout the United States and Canada promoting »Dingir« (2012) as well as their latest album release entitled »Lugal Ki En« which was released October 2014. With the release of »Lugal Ki En«, RINGS OF SATURN branched out touring including a US tour with AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK at the end of 2014, an appearance at the 2015 edition of Knotfest, a US Tour with THE FACELESS in 2015 and their first and very successful European Tour early 2016 with AVERSION'S CROWN.

The band is now arriving back on the scene with their fourth full length studio album »Ultu Ulla« and now signed to Nuclear Blast Records as of May 2016. This self-dictated ‘Alien death core’ band present an entirely new and esoteric proposition to heavy metal. Terrorizing earthlings with their intense measures of technicality is something that RINGS OF SATURN excel in. Currently, their lineup includes founding member Lucas Mann on guitar, Miles Dimitri Baker on guitar, Aaron Stechauner on drums, and vocalist Ian Bearer. This album cycle the guys deliver to us quite possibly their most polished sounding tracks yet.

Entheos

So This Is Suffering

So This Is Suffering is a Post-Deathcore outfit originating from Victorville, CA started by Zedadiah Martinez and Zechariah Gamez in 2007. After years of sacrifice, the band further developed by solidifying its lineup with long time friends Robert Brown, Fabrizio Toscano, and James Williams. Having self-released three albums and relentlessly performing across the United States, they’ve made a name for themselves as one of the heaviest and hardest-working DIY bands. By melding emotion driven lyrics with the sounds influenced by a broad spectrum of musical tastes, the members plan to leave their mark in extreme music. They’re currently writing their full length album, A Palace For The Pessimist, which will be their first release with Unique Leader Records.

Bloodbather

South Florida raised Metalcore band Bloodbather from Broward County with members Matt Stokes, Jeffrey Georges, Madison Champagne, and Sam Elliot started in 2016 with the sole to play shows with their friends throughout the state of Florida. Soon after releasing the Justified Murder EP the group instantly received gratification from multiple scenes on the east coast. Not long after the same year they did their debut tour with Deviant and gathered more success with explosive live shows, unique image, & raw anger. Since then they've been working on building their name by playing shows opening for bands such as New Years Day, Oceano & I Set My Friends on Fire, now recording a new album with their new, finalized sound to come out late 2017.